Third Covid wave jitters: Core sector growth slows to 9-month low in Nov

Centre's fiscal deficit touches 46.2% of annual target till November-end

Growth in eight infrastructure sectors dipped to a nine-month low at 3.1 per cent in November because most of them saw a decline in activity amid fear that the impending third wave of the pandemic might further erode the momentum in early months of 2022.

The data released by the industry department showed only fertiliser output recorded a sequential pickup in growth (2.5 per cent) in November while cement production turned negative (-3.2 per cent) after a gap of 10 months.

Growth in the output in all other sectors such as coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, steel, and electricity dipped